She's Too Much
by Rhov
Summary: Lucy is on the search for true love, but every man she dates thinks she's "too much." Who will Lucy end up with: Loke, Natsu, Gray, Sting, Hibiki? Five drabbles about a girl who refuses to give up her search for Mister Right.
1. August is Leo's Month

_A/N: Request from Emil C._

_I'm busy with NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) attempting to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days, so I'm not writing fanfics. This story is already done. It's 5 brief drabbles about Lucy trying to find true love in a world where she's "too much." I'll update one chapter every Saturday through the month of November, so I'm not totally inactive. Which man will Lucy end up with? You have to wait until the end. _^_^

Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima doesn't have to worry about Nanowrimo because he already has _Fairy Tail_.

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**She's Too Much**

a _Fairy Tail_ fanfic

by Rhov

.

Chapter 1

**August is Leo's Month**

Loke ran his hand through his orange hair in frustration. "Lucy...what the heck is that?"

Lucy sat at her desk with a magazine opened up. Inside were glossy pictures of glamorous women in long, white, glittering wedding dresses. "I'm just looking," she defending.

"No, ladies don't buy wedding magazines because they're _just looking_." Loke sighed and stepped a little away. "Really, Lucy, I love you with all my heart, but you're too much."

"Too...much?" she asked, slowly closing the magazine.

"You have post-it notes stuck all through that magazine!" he shouted. Loke grabbed it and flipped to each page marked with a piece of paper. "Bouquets, table settings, bridesmaid dresses...dear stars, you have the tuxedo all picked out."

"It...it'd look good on you," she muttered defensively. "Hey, I'm a girl. Girls dream about these sorts of things, and...and we've been together for three months already," she whispered with a dreamy smile. "I'm not hinting that you propose to me, Loke. Really! Still, we could at least, you know..._talk_ about it, about what we want in the future, what our dreams are. You hate to talk about the future."

"Lucy," Loke sighed, rubbing out his forehead. "I'm a Celestial Spirit. I don't age. _The future_ for me is a really long time. I'm a little worried that you won't want a man who can't spend every moment with you, who has to keep returning to another world, who won't ever age. That's why I don't talk about the future, and why I'm a little worried that you might be thinking too much about something I can't provide for you."

Lucy dropped her head sadly. "Are you even allowed to marry a human?"

"It not common, but it's not illegal. Still, we should date a little more before making plans for a wedding. I'm really sorry, but I'm not ready to commit like that. I want to have fun with you. Marriage...I mean, I would love to make you into my beautiful bride, but I don't want anything elaborate. Running away, a tiny chapel in the woods, just a few of our closest friends...isn't that romantic?"

"I...guess," she muttered, "but when, Loke?"

"Well, not anytime soon," he laughed lightly. "We should just date and have fun together."

"You have eternity," she argued. "I only have a few decades. I don't want to wait until I'm too old for kids."

"Kids?" Loke questioned with a slightly reserved frown. "Wait, you want a family? Like, smelly little babies and stuff?"

"You...don't like children?" Lucy asked softly.

"I like children just fine, but I...well...I never really thought about having some of my own. Making you my bride is one thing, but...a family? I'm not even sure if Spirits and Humans can have babies together. It's never been done."

"Oh," she whispered, dropping her eyes down to her skinny belly, thinking about a dream she had where she was pregnant. That might never happen with Loke, and with her, the Heartfilia family would come to an end.

"Hey, don't look sad," he laughed lightly. "That's way in the future. Live in the present! Put that magazine away and let's go to the zoo."

Lucy glanced at the magazine and the bride gracing the front cover. She hated to admit it, but Lucy knew that Loke would never make a commitment. He might tease her from time to time that they should run away and get married, but that was all it was—teasing. Plus, eloping was not what Lucy wanted. She wanted an elaborate wedding, lots of flowers, a huge cake, all of her friends there to celebrate. She could picture it...

Except, she could never picture who was standing beside her. She knew what dresses the bridesmaids would have, and she even picked out boutonnières for the ushers, but the man in the custom long-tailed tuxedo was a blank.

However, she knew she wanted children, too. She did not merely want a husband, but a father for her family, a man who would provide for their children and love them.

She realized that August day, that man would not be Loke.

**Continue...**


	2. September Heat and Passion

Chapter 2

**September Heat and Passion**

"Come on, Lucy," Hibiki said in a low, seductive voice. He leaned in closer on the couch they were sharing, almost leaning on top of her. "I know you can kiss more than that. Or should I teach you adult kissing? It would be my honor and privileged to instruct you in all the ways a man and woman may enjoy themselves," he whispered, trailing a finger down her neck and heading toward her cleavage.

Lucy slapped his hand away. "I said no, Hibiki."

He was not so easily pushed aside. "Your heart is racing. Your eyes are dilated. You have the look of lust." Hibiki caressed her hair tenderly. "Is it your first time?"

"My first time _what_?" she snapped, but a second later she understood his meaning. "Of course it's my first time."

"Then I'll be gentle," he promised, leaning in to her lips.

"No!" Lucy shoved him with both hands. "I mean it's _not going to be_ my first time. I'm not sleeping with you, Hibiki."

His lips twisted in disappointment. "Is it too soon?"

"Of course it's too soon. Jeez, this is only our third date!"

Hibiki hummed and tapped his chin. "How long do you want to wait? A month? A year?"

"Until you put a ring on my finger," she answered. "I'm saving myself for marriage."

He burst out a laugh, and Lucy glared hard. With a struggle, Hibiki tried to be serious again. "That's...quaint. Admirable, I suppose, but...isn't it rather unfair to both you and your future husband? You two won't know if you're compatible in the bedroom until it's too late."

"A marriage isn't based on how good the sex is. Marriage is about love, about finding that one friend who will stay by your side until death. If there is true and honest love between them, how good or how bad the sex is shouldn't matter."

He chuckled softly again, but somehow he managed to hold it back to just a grin. "Oh Lucy, you're too much!"

"Too much?" she questioned, remembering Loke said the same thing.

"It's cute, really. So, if you're not concerned about lovemaking, what exactly is it you seek in a man? Please," he practically purred, caressing up and down her arm. "Tell me what I should do to make you the happiest woman alive."

"Well..." She began to blush as she thought about it. "I want a guy who is funny but intelligent."

"Well, that's me," he declared.

She glared harder. "I also want a man who wants a family."

"I adore children," he assured.

"I want someone who is ready, financially and emotionally, to support our children, who's strong enough to protect me when I'm in danger but gentle enough to tend to me when I'm sick."

"I'm financially well-off, if I may say so. If I'm not strong enough, just tell me and I will get stronger for your sake."

She blushed at that.

"What more? There must be more you want."

She decided to tell him everything, all of her expectations, no matter how trivial. "I want a man who likes poetry, who enjoys candlelit dinners, a man who's a little chivalrous without being the sort who wants to lock me in an ivory tower. I want a man who has a clear idea about what he wants in the future but is willing to add me into that dream, who has goals in life and the determination to strive for them, who will respect me, love me, and work with me so we both meet our goals."

Hibiki just smiled and played with her blonde hair. "You're like a princess waiting for Prince Charming."

"Is that so bad?" she asked stubbornly.

"Of course not. You deserve nothing less, and I hope I fulfill every fantasy you ever have, so you may live out your fairy tale for the rest of your life."

Lucy felt a leap of hopefulness. "The rest...of my life? Hibiki, are...are you...proposing to me?"

"Propo-...oh, no-no-no," he laughed lightly. "Please, don't get the wrong idea."

"Oh," she pouted. "Are you the sort who's against commitment?"

"Of course not. We can get married some day," he shrugged. "Just...well, like you said. It's only our third date. That's hardly enough time to know one another well enough to even think about something like marriage."

"I agree with that, but a minute ago you wanted to have sex!"

"Sex is just another way of getting to know one another. I want to get to know all of you, Lucy," he said softly, leaning up against her and caressing her ear. "I want to know every inch of your skin. We can explore one another...just for tonight..."

"No!" she yelled. "Sheesh, are you still trying to get into bed with me? I already said no."

"We don't have to have sex," he offered, and his eyes drifted to her chest. "Just...some fun. There are lots of things men and women can do together that would keep you technically pure for your wedding day, but still feel _really_ good."

Lucy's teeth clenched in anger. Softly, she growled, "Get out of my apartment."

"Would you prefer a love hotel?"

"_Get out!_" she screamed. Still, Hibiki tried to wrap her up into his arms. "Let go of me!"

"You're only struggling because you're scared. It's cute!" He wrestled her down to the couch and caged her with his body, smiling down into her face and ignoring her thrashing attempts to escape. "I'll show you there's nothing to fear from a little passion, not when you're with me." He leaned over and forced a kiss, making Lucy's eyes go wide with terror. "I'll remove all your fears, Lucy. Just let me show you how far you can trust me." His hand drifted down her chest and cupped her breast.

"No!" Lucy grabbed her Spirit Keys and pulled out the first one she touched. "Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

The pink-haired maid poofed out. "What is my punishment, Princess?"

"Get him off me!"

Virgo grabbed Hibiki by the scruff of the neck and yanked him off of Lucy with surprising strength.

Lucy sat up and straighted her clothes. Then she pointed emphatically to Hibiki, her hand still shaking in rage. "I am not that sort of woman, and how dare you try to force me to do anything when I tell you no. Master Bob will hear of this. Virgo, show this male gigolo out of Magnolia. I don't even want him hanging around this town. On your way back, I'll need some ice cream."

"Strawberry or chocolate?" asked Virgo.

Lucy paused and sank against the couch cushions. "Chocolate."

"Lucy..." Hibiki pleaded.

She glared at him. "Don't bother coming back. We're through."

He tried to protest more, but Virgo pulled him out. "I will punish you harshly. You made my princess need chocolate ice cream. She only wants that when she's truly heartbroken." Then Virgo shut the door.

Lucy curled into a ball on the couch. She really did not want the evening to end this way. This was only her third date with Hibiki. She knew he was...experienced. Still, she thought his older age would make him mature. He was a good man, one of the most intelligent she knew, well-read, definitely handsome. She had hoped that with Ren about to get married, Hibiki would also be ready to settle down, find a wife, and start a family.

Did he really think merely three dates was enough time before something as serious as becoming lovers?

Lucy's mother had instructed her that she should not have sex with a man until after she got married. Any of the rules her dear mother laid down, Lucy followed, since each was a wish her mother had made. Layla wanted Lucy to remain an innocent girl for as long as possible. As a dutiful daughter, Lucy cherished her innocence. Being merely a "technical virgin" was not enough.

She wanted to save herself for her Prince Charming, and obviously Hibiki was not that man.

**Continue...**


	3. October Festivals

_A/N: This chapter has a small spoiler for post-Grand Magic Games chapters._

_By the way, Nanowrimo is half over, and I have written over 36,000 words for my upcoming novel. Hurray!  
_

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Chapter 3

**October Festivals**

Lucy thought her float entry for the Fantasia Festival definitely had to win this year. Some said it was a little unconventional that she brought along someone from another guild, but she and Sting were dating now. Her float had Loke and Virgo, who could come out on their own, plus she called out Gemini, who could then use two more keys while Lucy could call out one more, so they added the crowd favorites: Taurus, Cancer, and Aries.

Sting and Loke fought over who could produce more light. It got a little competitive between her new boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend, but it made her float the brightest in the parade. At least Loke was good-natured about it all. Lucy might have broken off their relationship, but she was not about to lose Loke as a close friend. To his credit, the Lion seemed happy to still be able to serve Lucy as her loyal knight.

Every time she glanced back, Sting was laughing and having fun. He was burdened these days with the duty of being the master of Sabertooth, so getting out, being in a parade, and just having fun with his girlfriend was a much-needed distraction. Lucy was happy to see him smiling so widely.

Finally, the parade was over. Lucy said goodnight to all of her Spirits and hugged them each in thanks. Mages began to head back to Fairy Tail for the party that would rage all through the night and probably into the next few days.

Sting suddenly grabbed Lucy and swung her around. "This was awesome!" he exclaimed. "Man, I gotta see if Sabertooth can host something like this. In the old days, we were all so serious, everything was about strength, but now...I want us to be more like Fairy Tail."

"The magic council won't like that," Lucy teased.

Sting laughed loudly. "Hell no, they won't!" He beamed down at her. "Which means we'll truly be an awesome place for friends to gather, not just for the strong to come under one roof. I want _you_ to show us the way, Lucy."

She stared in shock. "What? Me?"

The lights suddenly went out as the crowds dispersed. They both looked around the darkened street.

Sting grabbed Lucy's hand and pulled her along. "Let's head to the guild."

She felt a leap in her heart. Sting was so playful. Despite his bad-boy image that had Levy frowning and warning Lucy about another broken heart, he seemed innocent once you got to know him. He knew how to kiss, but unlike her other boyfriends—especially Hibiki—he was not in any rush to get more physical. He was smarter than he looked, and the responsibility of leading a guild had made him mature quickly.

She was not going to assume too much this time, though. Lucy was keeping her heart guarded.

They reached the guild hall, and the party was in full swing. Lucy went off to talk with Levy, and although Sting followed her for a while, he eventually drifted to where Laxus and Gajeel were talking. Not even ten minutes in, the White Dragon Slayer stood on a table.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make!" he bellowed over the chaos that was normal for Fairy Tail. People put down their beer mugs, and Natsu and Gray stopped arguing long enough to listen. "I'm happy I came to the Fantasia Festival. It's truly a wonderful thing this guild has hosted for this town year after year. I hope that someday I can make Sabertooth as joyous of a place for friends to get together. As you know, I've had the wonderful honor of dating the lovely Lucy Heartfilia, and right now I want to ask her..." He turned to Lucy, who was gazing up at him with confusion. "...can I also have the honor of making you my wife?"

Lucy lost all breath in her lungs. People gasped, squealed, and muttered with furrowed brows. They all knew Lucy and Sting had not been together for very long. A proposal like this was way too sudden.

"S-Sting," the busty blonde stuttered. "This really is rather unexpected."

"I know," he smiled, "but I realized today, I want you to come back with me, help me make Sabertooth into a guild like Fairy Tail. I know I can do it, and I want you by my side."

His words melted her. Lucy felt tears gathering around her eyelids. Before she could clear her throat and give him her answer, Sting spread his arms out.

"Plus I just asked around, and none of the other dragon slayers are married, or even have serious girlfriends at the moment."

Lucy saw in the corner of her eye, Levy shot a caustic glare over at Gajeel. Uh-oh! Someone was going to get scolded tonight.

"I wanna be the first to get married," Sting grinned cheekily.

Natsu raged forward to the table where Sting was still standing. "Is that why you're proposing? A competition?"

"Like you're one to get angry," the White Dragon Slayer smirked smugly. "You've never even had a girlfriend."

"Lucy's my friend, and she's a girl."

"Doesn't count, flame-head," Sting chuckled. "I bet you've never been kissed."

"So what?" Natsu shouted. "I won't let you marry her unless you really mean it. I don't believe you really want her as your wife out of love for her. You don't smell sincere."

"You can't smell sincerity, stupid," Sting glared.

Natsu leaped up onto the table so he could glare into Sting's face. "I can! And I won't let Lucy marry someone who doesn't smell sincere. Lucy, don't trust this guy. He's only asking to marry you because he wants to be the best with ladies out of all the dragon slayers. I heard him say that last time he was here, and he practically just confirmed it now."

Lucy had learned to trust Natsu's instincts. She gazed in shock at her old and dear friend, then at her new boyfriend, a man she honestly did not know too well.

She meekly replied, "Sting, I need time to think about this."

His head swiftly swung over to her. "No! We need to hurry up and get married."

"Oh?" Natsu asked mockingly. "And why is that? Are you afraid Gajeel and Levy might run away and elope while Lucy is thinking it over?"

The blue-haired bookworm's face went completely red. "W-what?" Levy squeaked.

Sting jumped off the table and walked up the Lucy, holding both of her arms as he gazed intently into her eyes. "Lucy, I want you to help me rebuild Sabertooth. Yukino is there. You two are good friends now, right? So it's not like you won't know anyone, and I just know they'll all make you feel like family. Plus, if you join Sabertooth, we'll have two ladies with all twelve Zodiac Celestial Spirit Keys. My guild would really rise with you by my side."

Lucy's lip curled up a little. "Sting, do you just want to marry me to promote your guild? To prove you're strong? To beat the dragon slayers in some race on who can get married first?"

"Of course not!" he cried out.

Suddenly, from a dark corner of the guild, Laxus rose up. "He's lying. He told me just tonight, 'I'll even beat you when it comes to ladies.' It's just a competition for him now, and you're a shortcut to reaching his goal. He thinks marriage is a finish line. Brat, you are totally mistaken."

Natsu nodded firmly. "That's what I was saying. A competition."

Lucy closed her eyes and turned away. Those tears of joy with quickly cooling to tears of sadness. "Sting...I need time. So do you. Please, think more about this and ask me again in a couple months."

"A couple months!" he shouted. "Lucy...that's too much. It's way too long."

"Too much?" She glared back with a darkness in her face. "You don't want to date me for just two months? Because it's _too much_? You really are in a hurry to get married," she sneered. "I won't be used as some trophy wife, or a competition goal. Besides, I want a big wedding, and those take months to plan. It could be a whole year before we actually get married."

"No!" Sting yelled. "Rogue will beat me by then."

Now Gajeel stepped forward. "Ah-hah! The truth comes out. This is a competition you have with Rogue. I heard he had a serious relationship. You just don't want him to beat you. Shadow and Light really are competitive after all."

Lucy felt her heart sink. "Sting, that really is low." Her head dropped. "I like you. I'm willing to forgive you and just keep dating, but you need to really think about what you want in the future. Not for your guild, not between you and Rogue, but for you, for me. For us! What sort of future do you want for us? Think about that, and come back in two weeks. I'll give you my answer then."

Lucy walked out of the guild and into the cool October evening. She stared up at the stars and sighed. She had felt so happy at first, but she realized that not everyone marries purely for love. For some people, it's for business, or politics, or competitive reasons.

She reached to her keys, and lacking any energy, she mumbled, "Open the gate of the Goat! Capricorn!" Her loyal goat-like Spirit appeared before her.

"Lucy-sama, you look depressed."

"Sorry for summoning you, Capricorn, but...I just need someone tonight." She collapsed into his broad chest and began to sob.

With a pained smile, Capricorn held her around the back. "Sometimes when your father acted coldly, Layla-sama would cry on my shoulder just like this. Come, let's get you home first. It isn't dignified for the heir of the Heartfilias to weep in public."

With her face still pressed against his suit coat, Lucy walked unsteadily toward her home. She might have given Sting two weeks to come up with a reason to marry her, but she already had a bad feeling that he would fail to come up with anything truly romantic and personal. He was a nice guy deep down inside, but his competitive nature made him too immature for something as serious as marriage.

**Continue...**


	4. November's Burning Colors

Chapter 4

**November's Burning Colors**

"Come _on_, Lucy," Natsu whined. "Look at the fall colors. It's a beautiful day for a walk."

"No," she said with stubborn insistence as she laced up her boots. "We need to take a train if we're going to make it to the aquarium in time."

"We don't have to arrive on time," he protested. "If we're a day late, the fish will still be there."

"Yes, but tomorrow is a special one-time-only showing of a rare deep-sea eel. I promised Yukino I'd meet her there. Both Pisces and Aquarius want to see the eel. Plus I already set dinner reservations for that night, and a three-day hotel reservation so we can stay for the weekend. I checked with a nearby café to see what their seasonal specials are for lunch the next day, we have tickets to a concert on Saturday, more dinner reservations, and on Sunday we're sailing to an island for a special yearly festival I think you'd like."

"Ugh! A boat?" he moaned. "Sheesh, how annoying!"

She glared at him. "It's a fire festival. You complained on our last date that nothing we did was fun, so I thought I'd put in something especially for you."

"It sounds great and all, but...a boat?"

"Fine," she snapped. "We don't have to go. I just thought we'd do something you'd like, especially after you made such a fuss about it in front of the whole guild."

"Well, I don't like boats. You sure didn't think about that while planning all of this. I just wanted a fun weekend with you. You didn't have to plan out every hour of the trip."

"I didn't plan every hour. It's just that if we don't take a train there, we'll mess up the whole schedule. We could have left two days ago and walked there, but _someone_ pissed off Erza and got stuck with cleaning the guild from roof to basement."

"Hey, that wasn't my fault. It was Gray who started it."

"Oh, forget it," she sighed in frustration.

"Exactly! Lucy, let's forget reservations and plans. I just wanna be spontaneous. Hey, let's forget this whole thing and go to the mountains."

"Mountains!" she cried out in frustration. "Natsu, we have reservations, tickets...I paid a lot of money for these things."

"I said I'd pay you back as soon as Happy remembers where he put our reward money."

"Plus we're meeting Yukino."

"I wanted it to be just us, Lucy," he sighed irritably.

"She's only going to be at the aquarium. We can't be so carefree and reckless when other people are involved."

"Then stop involving other people," he shouted, but he immediately reined in his emotions. "Sorry, I really didn't mean to yell at you."

It was too late. Lucy had a furious gleam in her eyes. "Yukino is a good friend. We're the only two Celestial Spirit mages in the world with Gold Keys. Unlike how you treat other dragon slayers, always fighting and challenging them, I'd prefer to be Yukino's friend and talk about our Spirits. I'd like to get to know Pisces and Libra more."

"I get that," he sighed, running his hand through his pink hair. "I think that's great, really, but this is our date."

"You know, this was supposed to be a trip for just me and Yukino. You were the one who whined for an hour about spending a weekend together, and butted in on my plans. If anything, _you're _the one intruding on _our_ girls' day out."

"Because we hardly get to go out of town together, and when we do, you plan our dates out like they're a military campaign. We have to be places at certain times, you reserve restaurant tables..."

"In some places, you have to," she said coldly.

"Fine, but...you're too much! It's not even fun anymore when I feel so rushed."

Lucy felt a shiver in her chest. "Not fun?"

"No!" he yelled. "Look, I wanted to date you because I thought it'd be fun, but you over-plan every little thing we do. You didn't do this before."

"Because before, we were just hanging out. We weren't dating."

Natsu frowned. "Then maybe we should just hang out again."

Lucy stumbled back a step. "W-what? Wait, are you..." She gulped bitter emotions down her tightened throat. "Are you breaking up with me? Over this?" she cried out in disbelief. "Just because I want to make sure our dates are planned out?"

"You obsess over stupid details."

"Hotel arrangements are not stupid details. They basic for going on a trip."

"We could sleep in the open."

"You can't do that when you're staying in a big city, Natsu. In some cities, sleeping in the park and loitering are illegal."

"Sheesh, see? Little details."

"Oh God, you are a real idiot. It's the _law_, Natsu."

"Then we can avoid big cities with stupid laws."

"Not when the aquarium is in that city!"

"You're not spontaneous. It's just not fun. If it's not fun, then what's the point?"

"Are you saying I'm _boring_?" Lucy cried out. "You're breaking up with me...because I'm boring to you? I thought you loved me."

"I like you a lot, I trust you, and we're nakama," he nodded, "but when you act like this, you're kinda boring, and that's just not fun."

"You...you..._jerk!_" She wished she had something in her hand that she could throw at him, but there was nothing around.

Natsu turned aside. "I'm sorry. I'll still pay you back. Give Yukino the ticket to the concert. I bet she'd love to hang out with you. You're way cooler when you're _just hanging out_." Then he began to walk away.

"Natsu," she shouted, stunned and nearly in tears. "Wait! Come on, we can talk this over."

He raised his hand to wave goodbye. "You'll miss your train. See ya later, Lucy."

Lucy stared at his back, wishing he would stop, turn around, laugh in his silly way, say he was joking, and run back to her. But he did not stop. That flaming hair matched with the fiery autumn colors, and it all seemed to burn now as Natsu walked away, opened the door, and left her house.

Her eyes stung. She turned aside sharply. "No. I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry."

She finished tying her boots, grabbed her suitcase, and stomped toward the train station. Her head stayed down, avoiding all eye contact. As tears welled up, she could barely even see where her feet were walking. Then suddenly, she collided into a bare chest. By the black guild mark on the pectoral, she realized without looking up that it was Gray.

He smiled down at her. "Hey Lucy, are you heading on a mission?"

"Gray," she said in a low voice, keeping her face turned down to her shoes. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure. Are you okay?" he asked, worried about the tremor in her words.

"...Punch Natsu for me. Hard." Then she ran off before Gray saw the teardrop that hung from her eyelash.

"Lucy?" he called out to her. Gray ran after her. "Lucy, what did that flame-brain do to you?"

"He broke up with me, okay?" she shouted. "Now just leave me alone."

She pulled away, and Gray watched her go. He saw her reach up and wipe her eyes. With a sneer, Gray glared back in the direction of the guild hall.

He had a dragon slayer to punch. For daring to make Lucy cry, he would knock that idiot into a coma.

Lucy boarded the train, handed over her ticket without looking up at the conductor, and took a seat by the window. She needed to get out of town now. She could not face Natsu. Besides, she had reservations, tickets, and hotel arrangements. Yukino might like to split a room, and Lucy could probably still cancel the boat trip to the island. It was pointless going now.

With a toot and a jolt, the train began to chug out of the station. Lucy stared out the window as the scenery changed from cityscape to farmlands. In the faint reflection of the glass window, she saw the tear-stained image of her face.

**Continue...**


	5. December Winter Delights

Chapter 5

**December Winter Delights**

Gray knocked on Lucy's door, smiling at the Christmas wreath hanging on her door, decorated with tiny symbols of the zodiacs. That was so like Lucy! When no one answered, he tried the handle and frowned to find it unlocked. She was being really careless, especially since crime was higher around the holidays.

He slowly opened it and peered inside. It was too hot for his liking, and he found Lucy still sitting in her bed. She was wearing something loose and comfortable, sweats and a teeshirt that hung off one shoulder, giving a tantalizing view of her collar bone. Her back was propped up with pillows, and her knees were folded up. She had a book, reading it slowly.

"Sorry for the intrusion," he said, slipping in and closing the door behind him. "I heard you were sick."

"Just a bit weak. Maybe it's anemia or something," she said dismissively.

"Are you sure it's not a cold?" He dusted white flakes off from his shoulders and kicked his snow-packed shoes off at the door. "This snow has been going on for a while. I brought some medicinal tea just in case."

"Thanks, but it's not a cold. I get like this from time to time."

"Oh! Uh...women issues?" Gray asked awkwardly, blushing slightly.

She found his timidity cute, and Lucy giggled softly. "No, not that. This happens whenever I break up with someone."

"Oh, you mean you and Natsu. That happened two weeks ago."

"Yeah, and it took this long for it to catch up with me."

"Stress?" he asked, taking a seat beside her on the mattress and feeling her forehead just to be sure.

"I'm not sure. Levy says I bottle everything up and it comes out as an illness."

"He broke your heart that bad?" Gray glared out the window, as if he could see the flame-brain through the blizzard. "I'll bash his face in...again!"

She smiled at his loyalty, but Lucy also gazed out the window to the snowy world outside. It was a fairy winterland out there, and as much as she wished she could go out and play in it, her heart did not want to indulge in anything fun...not yet. She still hurt inside.

"Maybe all of them are right," she mused to herself in a quiet mumble. It brought over Gray's attention. He had to listen hard as she talked into the book she held up on her knees, peering at the real world from over the pages of the fantasy world she was trying to escape into. "They all said I was _too much_. I think about marriage too much, I don't want to...um..._go all the way _before then, I want a man who will truly love me, and I plan things out in too much detail."

"Well, I don't think any of those are necessarily something bad," Gray shrugged, hoping to be helpful.

"Maybe I have a real problem," Lucy muttered. "Maybe my ideals are set too high. Perhaps," she frowned with a furrow in her brow, "I should change how I act."

"Nah, you can't change just to please someone, or you'll miss the person perfect for you. Like that poem about the man with blue skin who wears a mask, and therefore misses meeting another person with blue skin who is also wearing a mask."

Lucy lowered the book enough to show a smile. "I love that poem."

"So, did that fire-breathing idiot dump you just because you wanted to get married? Because if so, he's truly an idiot. A guy like him will never get anything better than I girl like you."

She blushed and turned her face away. "Thanks, Gray. And no, it was Loke who I broke up with when he thought I was foolish for thinking about marriage too soon."

"No such thing as _too soon_ when you're thinking about spending the rest of your life with someone," Gray told her. "Unless you're Sting, proposing out of nowhere without even discussing it with you. Two people need to talk about marriage first, or at least hint around at it. You can't just assume the other person wants the same thing you want."

"Well, it seems like either guys assume marriage is too far off to think about, or they assume that just because I look at wedding magazines, I want to rush in as recklessly as them."

Gray chuckled and patted her arm. "Not all men are like that, Lucy."

"And what about you?" she mumbled petulantly.

Gray looked aside with a blush. "Me? Um...uh. Well, I want marriage and kids some day, but not necessarily right away. I think two people need to date long enough to really know if they can put up with one another."

"And...other things?" she glared. "Intimate things?"

Gray scratched the back of his head. "I'm not sure about that stuff."

"You're a virgin?"

"Hey!" he shouted defensively. "Just because I wanna save myself for marriage doesn't mean I'm gay."

"I never said that." Then Lucy chuckled softly. "Do people tease you about that?"

"Yeah...stupid flame-brain," he grumbled.

Lucy could hardly help but laugh. "I think Natsu is just as innocent. He's teasing you about it because you react." She eyed Gray as he began unconsciously unbuttoning his shirt. "So, you want a family and you don't want sex until marriage. That's probably rare, but...I'm glad I'm not the only one. I thought maybe I was weird."

"Nah, I think lots of people want that, but they're pressured into thinking they have to _try it out first_ or something. I know for me, at least, I'm teased by the other guys if I mention wanting kids. They think I just want sex, and that's not it at all. I just want a happy, normal life. It's not weird to think about those sorts of things, right?" he questioned, slightly uncertain.

"I think it's normal, but guys tend to think I'm pressuring them, or I plan everything out in too much detail."

Gray gave an amused chuckle. "I already know, when my fiancée and I start planning wedding colors, I want ice blue. She can have whatever other color she wants."

"Even if it's pink," Lucy teased.

"Even if it's bright hot fluorescent pink," Gray grinned. "It's her wedding too, and I know girls love to plan those things out. I'll let her plan whatever she wants, so long as I get what I want, too. I mean, that's the most important thing about love and making marriage work. It's not about if they're sexy or rich or good in bed. It's about if both people work together well, giving and taking, compromising and making things work out so both are happy."

Lucy rested her chin on her hands and stared at him. This was a side of Gray she never saw. She had talked about weddings with the girls in Fairy Tail plenty of times. Erza especially had some grand ideas. However, she had never thought about asking any of the guys about their ideas for a future marriage. It was too weird! Plus if she tried, the guys might think she was flirting with them. However, talking with Gray had always been easy. Even now, talking about such a strange issue, Lucy felt at ease.

Gray saw her intent yet hazy stare, and he tilted his head in confusion. "What? Did I say something weird? Do I have something in my teeth?"

"No, I'm just thinking, your girlfriend is a lucky lady."

"Girlfriend? Oh, you mean that lady I brought to the Fantasia parade? No, uh...we broke up. She had been hinting for weeks that she wanted _more_, if you know what I mean. I finally told her flat out that I wouldn't sleep with her. I guess I said it sort of meanly," he frowned.

"You have that problem too, huh?"

"I guess so."

Lucy's tears and inner stress had melted away like snow by a warm fire. Gray tried his hardest to avoid eye contact, but she saw by the flushed cheeks, he was embarrassed by the whole conversation. Lucy wondered if he was thinking that same thing she was.

Her ideal man, the man who wouldn't think she's _too much_, just might be Gray Fullbuster!

Finally, Gray cleared his throat and forced out over-casual words. "W-well then, I sure am hungry, aren't you, Lucy? Or are you too sick?"

"No, actually, I'm feeling a lot better suddenly."

"Ah, that's good. Um...do you want to go somewhere to eat? Or would you rather me make something for you?"

"We can go out, but I'm short on money."

"Don't worry, my treat!" he offered eagerly. "Or...or is that too chivalrous? Some ladies don't like it when the guy treats the girl."

"No, it's fine if you want to." She laughed lightly. "Who in their right mind would turn down free food?"

"You'd be surprised," he grumbled with twisting lips. "So...uh...maybe this is weird to ask but...is this a date?"

"It could be," she whispered hesitantly, eying him with caution as her heart raced and her throat began to dry out.

"I'd rather it be," he breathed, gazing hopefully at her.

"No strings attached?" Lucy teasingly asked, making Gray blush.

"Now, what would be the fun of that?" he laughed, but suddenly choked back his chuckle. "U-unless, you don't want to..."

"No, I...um..."

She fell quiet, and Gray gazed at her silently. Their eyes lingered far too long, until both turned away at the same time with flushed cheeks.

Lucy suddenly asked, "What about pasta?"

"Yeah, pasta sounds great," Gray cried out enthusiastically. "I know a good little place not far from here."

Lucy grabbed her coat and a scarf to keep her warm against the winter snow. They went out together, but once they got to the street Lucy realized something.

"I forgot my gloves."

Gray grabbed her hand. "I'll keep your fingers warm."

Lucy bit her lip bashfully as Gray's long, strong fingers clasped hers. He pulled her hand up to his mouth and breathed hot air on her fingers, making a puff of steam in the freezing air. Lucy gulped hard as she felt the breath from his mouth warm and moisten her fingers. Then he gazed up, and there was happiness in his blue eyes that melted Lucy's heart.

Gray held Lucy's hand protectively as they walked side-by-side with smiles and butterflies in their stomachs.

**The End**

* * *

_A/N: A little open ended. Thanks for reading._

_NaNoWriMo is over, and I won. Yay! Now, back to writing fanfics while I edit my brand new novel._


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